


Unlikely Praise

by bluepard



Category: Journey into Mystery
Genre: Brothers, Fluff, Gen, Kid Loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-04
Updated: 2012-03-04
Packaged: 2017-11-01 03:43:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/351602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluepard/pseuds/bluepard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only one thing shocks Loki these days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unlikely Praise

It was over. He had won. A hard victory as usual. One that he wouldn't get the credit for, won in ways that no one would approve of--that was always the way--but Thor was alive this time. Many of dead Aesir were even restored, although most seemed to be in a state of unconsciousness or were as exhausted as he was.

Loki panted, hands on his knees, before giving up entirely and collapsing to the ground. His view of the ground became one of the sky, and that was when he noticed the figure. It strode towards Loki tall and confident and imposing, and suddenly Loki realized he didn't have the strength to defend himself, not even the strength to run. Thor was still away, finishing the battle.

The man might not be dangerous. Loki continued to pant and sweat, trembling as he strained his eyes to make out a face. When he did, it was not one he wanted to see. They'd met before, briefly. Loki had sat beside him with Thor and not found out who he was until afterward. Until after the man had thrown himself into that suicide mission. It was Loki's fault that he had done that, they said, he had broken the king, broken the brave and beloved Balder.

Balder's face wore no expression as he approached. Loki swallowed the hard fact that he had killed this man so many times. He took a deep breath and tried to regain his strength, but it was too much. His legs were jelly beneath him, and he could feel them only as prickles of pain.

Balder stopped in front of Loki and crouched. Loki held his breath, tense, eyes fixed to the ground.

He felt his hair being ruffled and then smoothed back into place. 

“Good lad,” said Balder, “Let's get you home.”

And as Balder tossed him casually over his shoulder, Loki was too surprised to even be embarrassed or wonder why every son of Odin thought he was a bag of flour. He suddenly remembered that Balder was his brother, and he wondered if Balder remembered it as well. It was far more likely that Balder had come back to life with no idea who he was or something similar. The idea that anyone would forgive him for--well, no, Thor had forgiven him similar things. But the idea that there were two people who would was inconceivable. 

Balder put Loki down out of harm's way. His expression reminded Loki of a much less weighty version of Thor's even stare. Balder frowned slightly at Loki's still dazed state and ruffled his hair again. Loki wobbled back and forth under Balder's hand.

“We'll have the healers look at you in a moment, Loki.” He smiled as he stood and glanced backwards at Loki over his shoulder. “Try to stay out of trouble.”

Loki stared at Balder's back as the man walked off and began talking to the few others who were still standing.

“Ikol, was that teasing?”

“Yes,” said Ikol, “He thinks he's humorous,”

“Why?”

“That's what I've always wondered.”

“No, I mean--”

“He is Balder,” said Ikol, giving a lazy shrug that made him look like a vulture.

Loki watched as Balder organized the others. For all that they called him a terrible king, it was easy to see the way they looked at him. It was the same way they looked at Thor. Why the both of them would feel anything but disgust for Loki ...

He couldn't understand it. He wasn't sure he wanted to, it might fall to pieces under scrutiny. But eventually Balder returned and so did Thor, who smiled at him. For a moment before Loki drifted off to sleep it was a real family reunion, the best kind, the kind where Odin wasn't invited.


End file.
